Xi’an Famous Foods Is Bringing Its Hand-pulled Noodles To Arlington Very Soon

Xi’an Famous Foods. 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington. 

Xi’an Famous Foods—a New York favorite for Chinese hand-pulled noodles and chili-laced dumplings—is already operating ghost kitchens in Alexandria and Takoma DC. But on Friday, August 7, it will open its first DC-area storefront in Clarendon. It also happens to be one of the family-owned chain’s biggest locations yet.

CEO Jason Wang says they’ll be closing down the Alexandria location at the end of July when their term with ghost kitchen facility Four Mile Food Co. comes to an end. But the timing worked out well to shift staff and equipment over to Arlington.

Among Xi’an Famous Foods most famous dishes is its spicy cumin lamb hand-ripped noodles, which is also available as a soup. The thick ribbons can also be had with “spicy and tingly” beef muscle, cubed pork belly, and more. Northern Chinese-style boiled dumplings with spicy and sour lamb are another signature, but you can also try a meat-free, spinach-dough version with ground wood-ear mushrooms, seitan, and other vegetables. Rounding out the menu: stewed pork or cumin lamb “burgers” on crisped flatbread, “cold-skin” noodles, as well as a can’t-miss cucumber salad in a garlicky soy-and-black-vinegar dressing.

The menu will be discounted to start, with many dishes around $10. The restaurant has a no-tipping policy.

Xi’an Famous Foods was started by Wang’s father, David Shi, in a basement food court in Flushing two decades ago, inspired by family recipes and flavors of his home city of Xi’an. Wang joined the business in 2009, and together they’ve expanded to more than 20 locations across New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and the DC area. The restaurant famously earned the endorsement of the Anthony Bourdain, who raved “I’ve never had anything like this” in one episode of his show No Reservations.

The new 66-seat location will be quick-service with bench seating and street-food-style stools. “Very good for solo diners as well as for friends out for a quick bite,” Wang says. “Overall, it’s a very simple, no frills, but clean and bright space.” The restaurant also has an exclusive delivery partnership with DoorDash.

Following gangbusters business at the launch of its local ghost kitchen, Wang says he’s bringing in some of his most experienced managers from New York to help with the high volume they’re expecting at opening.

Meanwhile, the Takoma ghost kitchen will remain open and another storefront is coming to Rockville (12031 Rockville Pike) in October. Wang says he’s eyeing further expansion as well.

“There’s a lot of potential in the area. We really love the people here and the environment,” he says. “So, we really do want to invest further into the DMV area, for sure.”

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